Improvements in front-feed attachment for typewriters



July 15, 1958 H, MAURER 2,843,246

IMPROVEMENTS IN FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Jan. 27, 1956 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

y 1958 H. MAURER 2,843,246

IMPROVEMENTS IN FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Jan. 27, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IMPROVEMENTS IN FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Jan. 27. 1956 H. MAURER July 15, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 7V4 Q Fll I: .Q Q \w Q & la: mm a, m Q a ww I mw w B Q Q QM k 0 F mm w T m H. MAURER July 15, 1958 IMPROVEMENTS IN FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Jan. 27, 1956 S'SheetS-Sheet 4 H. MAURER July 15, 1958 IMPROVEMENTS IN FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Jan. 27, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent M HVIPROVEMENTS IN FRONT-FEED ATTACHMENT F OR TYPEWRI'IERS Hans Maurer, Zollikerherg, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to 1Ruifl-Buchhaltung Aktiengesellschaft, Zurich, Swit zer an Application January 27, 1956, Serial No. 561,874 Claims priority, application Switzerland March 6, 1956 3 Claims. (Cl. 197---128) The present invention relates to a front-feed attachment for typewriters for inserting at least one account sheet in front of a journal sheet fitted on the platen of the typewriter, which attachment comprises means for marking the account sheet after each entry effected thereon, and a sensing device sensing said marking for antomatically adjusting the said account sheet to a certain line to be typed upon.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a front-feed attachment of the kind referred to which is simple in production and is reliable in use.

It is in particular an object of the present invention to provide a front-feed attachment of the kind referred to, in which incorrect adjustment of account sheets is safely avoided even when such a sheet has been repeatedly inserted in the device.

With these and other objects in iew, I provide a frontfeed attachment for a typewriter for the insertion of an account sheet in front of a journal sheet fitted on the typewriter platen, comprising in combination: a structure mounted on the typewriter carriage, a drive shaft journalled in the said structure parallel to the typewriter platen, driving means mounted on the said shaft engaging in operation the account sheet, a ratchet wheel fixedly mounted on the said drive shaft, an adjustable drivingand indexing-disc journalled on the said structure and in operative connection with the said drive shaft, a control lever pivoted on the said structure, a spring resilient- 1y connecting the said control lever to the said adjustable drivingand indexing-disc in the sense of yieldably transmitting a turning movement of the said control lever into a turning movement of the said disc, a punching device mounted on the said structure normally out of operative engagement both with the typewriter and with the account sheet for punching a marking into the said account sheet, the punching movement being derived from the movement of a line-space lever when the latter is operated to effect the return of the typewriter carriage, and a sensing device mounted on the said structure and operatively connected to the said driving means in the sense of adjusting the same to a position corresponding to the position of the account sheet in which the line to be typed upon the accountsheet is in the appropriate level position, the said sensing device including a rocker lever pivotally mounted on the said structure, a sensing hook arranged on the said rocker lever and adapted to reach into the path of the account sheet and to sense the markings thereon if any, and a lug on said rocker lever in operative cooperation with the said ratchet wheel, the said sensing device being operatively connected to the said control lever and being made ineffective in a rest position of the said control lever.

These and other features and objects of the present invention will be clearly understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

2,843,246 Patented July 15, 1958 Fig. l is a lateral elevation of the front-feed attachment and of a part of the typewriter on which it is arranged;

Fig. 2 is a view in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 with the rear cowling sheet removed;

Fig. 3 is a partial view from the rear on a larger scale;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 4-4 and 55, respectively, of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a further view from the rear on a larger scale;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 shows a part of Fig. 7 on a larger scale;

Fig. 9 is a partial plan view from above of the control lever for the typewriter carriage and the components connected therewith; and

Fig. 10 shows a detail of Fig. 4 on a larger scale.

In the drawing, 1 denotes the front-feed attachment as a whole, which is removably mounted on the carriage 2 of a typewriter 3 in that at the two webs 4 oppositely directed trunnions 5 of square profile are provided which are adapted to enter through slots 6 into apertures 8 of the supports 7 resting on the carriage 2, provided that the trunnions 5, and with them the whole front-feed attachment is turned into such a position, that the trunnions may pass through the slots 6 with their narrow sides. Moreover, legs 10 are screwed on the webs 4 by means of screws 9, which legs rest on the top 11 of the carriage 2. Owing to the eccentrical arrangement of the trunnion's 5, the front-feed attachment remains in the position represented under the action of its proper weight.

The front-feed attachment illustrated comprises on its front facing towards the key board (not shown) of the typewriter a hopper 12 for the insertion of the account sheets which is limited on the rear by an aluminum plate 13 from which the aforesaid webs 4 are turned up at right angles. At the front the hopper is closed by a plate 14 of transparent synthetic material curved outwardly in front, while the lateral closure of the hopper is formed by the side walls 15. The components 14, 15 are screwed to the plate 13 by means of the screws 16. The lower end of the latter is recessed at 17 (Fig. 10). This recess 17 is covered by a bar 18connected to the plate 13 by spot welding so that a bar 20 holding the inked ribbon 19 can be inserted from the side into the recess 17.

For the insertion of an account sheet, driving members are provided, which in the embodiment illustrated are formed by control wheels 21 passing through slots 22 of the plate 13 and reaching into the rear face of the transparent plate 14. As will be seen in Fig. 2, the control wheels 21 are mounted on a shaft 23. In order to allow the use of forms of different Widthon one and the same front-feed attachment, not only those two control wheels 21 are provided which are required for moving the account sheet, but also further wheels 24, the teethof which may be folded and which can accordingly be brought into action at will when narrower forms are to be typed upon, which could not be moved any more through the front-feed attachment by means of the two control Wheels 21.

The drive of the shaft 23 is effected from the control lever 25, which is pivotally mounted in the left hand side web 4(in Fig. 2 shown on the right). The lever 25 is mounted on a hub '26 arranged on the outer surface of the said web 4, on which hub a trunnion 27 penetrating the web is mounted. On the tmnni-on 27 a disc 23 is non-rotatab1y mounted which is provided along its circumference with several holes, into which one end of the coiled spring 29 can be inserted. On the said trunnion 27 the hub of the driveand indexing-disc .30 is mounted rotatablyi Into this hub the other end of the coiled spring 29 is engaged. As will be quite clear, the lever 25 and the disc 30 are resiliently coupled through the spring 29, and the tension of this spring may be varied within certain limits in that one of its ends is inserted into one hole or another of the disc 28.

The driveor indexing-disc 30 is provided with to-othing on part only of its circumference (see particularly Fig. and meshes with a pinion 31 which is fixed for rotation on the shaft 32 of the gear wheel 33, which in turn meshes with the pinion 34 fixedly mounted on the polygonal, e. g. hexagonal shaft 23. By turning the lever 25 accordingly the shaft 23 is set in rotation through the spring 29, and an account sheet is drawn in by means of the control wheels 21. The spring 29 safeguards a quiet and reliable insertion, even when the control lever 25 is rocked very quickly or too far.

The front-feed attachment illustrated comprises means for punching scales in an account sheet as soon as a line has been typed upon it and the carriage 2 is restored to its starting position by means of the lever 35, and moreover means for automatically arresting a sheet partly previously typed upon at the first line not yet typed upon when inserting said sheet by means of the lever 25.

Firstly the device for the punching of the scales will be described (see particularly Fig. 8). It comprises a block 36, which contains a cylinder 37 and a bore 38. In this cylinder a plunger 40 is slidably mounted which is biased by a spring 39. The plunger 40 is fixedly connected to a rod 41 having a cutting edge. This device is arranged in the left hand side lower corner (in Fig. 2 on the right) of the front-feed attachment by means of screws 42. It has moreover a lateral slot 43 in which the left hand'side margin of the account sheet slides. As will be clearly seen, by pressing-in the plunger 40, a scale directed rearwardly is punched out of the account sheet lodged in the slot 43.

As mentioned, the operation of this marking device is effected by the lever 35 controlling the typewriter carriage, when the latter is restored to its initial position for the purpose of typing a line. In this movement the lever 35 rocks about its pivot 46 (see particularly Fig. 9). On the lever 35 an arm 44 is fixed, which has a turned up end flange 45. The axle 46 is the pivot axis of the lever 35. On the flange 45 an arm 47 is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 48. The arm 47 carries a cam 49 which cooperates with the plunger 40 when the lever 35 is rocked.

As will be seen from Fig. 9, in the rest position of the lever 35 the cam 49 lies immediately in front of the plunger 40, so that even upon a minute rocking movement of the lever 35 the aforesaid marking is applied to the account sheet located in the hopper. This is accordingly effected right at the beginning of the movement of the carriage 2.

The control lever 35 moreover effects in a manner known in itself the advancement by a line of an account sheet inserted into the hopper 12 and of the journal sheet. In conjunction with the components described hereinabove of the front-feed attachment this is effected by the simultaneous movement of the control wheels 21 and 24 on the one hand, and of the platen of the typewriter on the other hand, the left hand side end of the platen (as viewed from the front) being illustrated in Figs. 3 and 9 and denoted 50. On this platen 50 a driving ratchet wheel 51a is mounted in the usual manner, which is advanced step by step by the pawl 52. This pawl is subject to the bias of a spring 53, and is pivotally mounted at the end of the two-armed lever 55 which is rotatable about the axle 54 of the platen. This lever 55 is articulated at 56 to a push rod 57, which is in turn guided shiftably in the longitudinal direction on a structural wall 58 of the carriage 2. At its forward end the push rod 57 is articulated by means of a pin 59 (Fig. 9) to an arm 60, which is fixedly connected to or made in one piecewith the lever 35. Rocking the carriage lever 35 involves accordingly, in addition to rocking the arm 47, also the shifting of the push rod 57. In the wall 58 a pin 61 is journalled rotatably. It carries on its outer end a U-shaped yoke 62, the outer leg 63 of which projects beyond the pin 61, while its inner leg 64 is shorter and is angularly turned down immediately below the pin 61, so that a projection 65 (Fig. 4) is formed which protrudes downwardly into the path of the rod 57. Inside of the wall 58 a lug 66 is mounted on the pin 61 which is accordingly forcibly turned when turning the yoke 62 by shifting the rod 57. The lug 66 acts on a turned up lug 67 of a bell crank lever 68 which is mounted pivotally about the axle 69. This axle runs through the web 4 up to the supporting wall 70, which is fixedly connected to the plate 13. Outside of the web 4 the axle 69 is provided with a handle 71 (Fig. 3) by means of which the axle can be shifted together with the components mounted on it, particularly the aforesaid bell crank lever 68. Stops (not shown) limit the path of the axle 69. On the latter the ejector pawl 72 is mounted, the portion engaging the driveand indexing-disc 30 of which is so wide, that engagement is secured in any axial position of the axle 69, whereas on the other hand the locking pawl 73 is narrower and co-operates with the disc 30 in one particular position only of the axle 69. By shifting the latter by means of the handle 71 it is made possible to bring the locking pawl 73- at will in and out of engagement with the disc 30, while the ejector pawl 72 is permanently in engagement therewith. It should be noted here, that the drawing and particularly Fig. 4 thereof show the components in the rest position, in which the pawls 72, 73 are in juxtaposition to a portion of the disc 30 without teeth. When, however, an account sheet has been inserted into the hopper 12 and the control lever 25 has been operated, the disc 30 has also been turned so that its toothed portion is in juxtaposition to the pawls 72, 73, and the latter are in engagement with it. A spring 74 (Fig. 3) engages a pin 75 projecting laterally from the pawl 72 and tends to pull the pawl 72 towards the disc 30. This pin 75 projects so far outwardly in the direction towards the web 4 that it reaches into the trajectory of a lug 76 which is turned up from one end of a double-armed lever 77 pivotally mounted on the trunnion 27 (Fig. 1). This lever 77 is provided at its end facing towards the key board of the typewriter with a key 78, while its opposite end is subject to the action of a spring 79, which tends to turn it in the anti-clockwise direction (Fig. 1) about the trunnion 27 and to pull it towards the lower edge of an aperture 80 of the web 4. When the lever 77 is turned in the clockwise sense of rotation (Fig. 1), the lug 76 is raised against the bias of the spring 79, and is moved towards the pin 75. The latter is thereby turned in the anticlockwise sense of rotation about the axle 69 (Fig. 4) together with the ejector pawl 72, where-by the pawl 72 comes out of engagement with the drivingand indexing-disc 30.

Moreover means are provided for limiting the path of the control lever 25. For this purpose adjustable stationary stops 103, 104 are provided in a slot 102 of the supporting wall 70, which co-operate with a movable abut:

ment 105, mounted on thedisc 30. The stop 103 limits the end of movement of the lever 25, while the stop 104 determines its starting position. Any excessive turning is prevented owing to the interposition of the spring 29. Owing to the disposition of the aforesaid stops 103, 104 in the arcuate slot 102 the path of the disc 30 may be adjusted at will within wide limits.

On the extreme end of the shaft 23 a spring is housed in a casing 81, which spring is wound up when turning the shaft 23 at the occasion of inserting an account sheet,

and has the tendency of restoring the aforesaid com-.

ponents to their starting position, provided it is not prevented by the locking pawl 73 from doing so.

A centrifugal brake 83 mounted on a bracket 82 carries a worm 84 which meshes with a wormwheel 85 mounted on the shaft 23. This brake tends to brake the ejection movement of the account sheets.

There is yet the device to be described which permits the automatic adjustment of an account sheet inserted into the hopper 12 to the first free line not yet typed upon. As stated hereinabove, each account sheet is provided with a scale by the marking device described, when pushing back the carriage 2 of the typewriter. When re-inserting the account sheet, this scale has to be sensed by the aid of the components illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8.

A flat metal part 86 is pivotally mounted on the right hand side web 4 (Fig. 6) by means of a lateral lug 87 and of a pin 88. This part has moreover a second lug 89 the edge 90 of which serves as a cam and cooperates with the pin 105 of the disc 30. A spring 91 tends to turn the part 86 in the clockwise sense of rotation (Fig. 7). Moreover a lever 92 is also pivotally mounted on the web 4 about an axle 93. This lever has a lug 94 which co-operates with a ratchet pinion 95 mounted on the shaft 23. A spring 96 tends to turn the lever 92 in the clockwise sense of rotation (Fig. 7). The lever 92 carries a metal strip 97 the end of which has a hook 98 which can be pressed with a slight pressure across a window 99 of the plate 13 against the inserted account sheet.

Assuming now the machine to be adjusted for the typing on an account sheet of a certain width, by the appropriate adjustment of the control wheels 21 and 24, respectively, and the adjustment of a lateral guide plate mounted slidably in the usual manner in a slot in the plate 13. Moreover, a journal sheet is assumed to be placed in the usual manner round the typewriter platen. Furthermore, the stops 104 and 103 are assumed to be adjusted corresponding to the height of the account sheets to be typed upon. Each tooth of the drivingand indexing-disc 30 corresponds to one line of the account sheet. By a simple pull on the control lever 25 the account sheet can be advanced over its entire height right to its last line, provided the lug 94 does not prevent any further rotation of the shaft 23 when the account sheet has been previously partly typed upon.

Prior to the insertion of the account sheet the pin 105 pushes the part 86 to the left (Fig. 7), so that the lower portion thereof co-operates with the strip 97 in such a manner that the hook 98 can not reach under the lower edge of the account sheet to be inserted. When turning the lever 25, the pin 105 is no longer in contact with the cam face 90, so that the spring 91 turns the part 86 in the clockwise sense of rotation. The lower end of this part releases the lever 92, and the spring 96 pulls the same in the clockwise sense of rotation, whereby the hook 98 is forced through the recess 99 against the back of the account sheet. The first scale 100, which corresponds to the line typed upon last, carries along the hook 98 whereby the lever 92 is turned. The lug 94 comes into engagement with the ratchet pinion 95, and the shaft 23 is thereby locked. The adjustment of the spring is thus that a certain advance of the account sheet occurs, i. e. the same is drawn in somewhat too far. This advance corresponds to. the path of the hook 98 from the position illustrated in Fig. 8 to the position, in which the lug 94 is in engagement with the pinion 95. The pawl 72 then slides somewhat up along one flank of a tooth. Thereafter the spring housed in the housing 81 pulls the account sheet back through the intermediary of the control wheels 21 and 24, respectively, until the pawl 72 rests in an interstice of the disc 30, and the sheet is accurately set to this line. When the lever 25 is moved on in spite of this arresting, the force thereof is taken only by the spring 29. After the account sheet is adjusted in this manner to the line to be typed upon, the typing on the same is carried out, and thereafter the carriage is moved back to its right hand side starting position by means of the carriage lever 35. Thereafter a further scale is produced on the left hand margin of the sheet in the manner described, and the platen with the journal sheet is advanced a line by the components 51 to 56.

The grip 71 can then be adjusted, as mentioned, to two positions, in one of which the locking pawl 73 may come into engagement with the disc 30, but not in the other position. In the first case the account sheet is not ejected after the typing of a line, and several consecutive lines may be typed thereon. When, however, the locking pawl is outside the range of the disc 30, each inserted account sheet is ejected after the typing of a line, since then the locking pawl is inoperative, and the spring housed in the casing 81 restores the components to their starting position. i

The part 86' protrudes from the casing, so that it is possible to rock the same by hand towards the plate 13. Accordingly the account sheet can be inserted into the machine without the described sensing device coming into operation. This may for example be found necessary when a supplement, correction etc. is to be applied to lines previously typed upon.

The lever 77 serves for removing a wrongly inserted account sheet from the machine without applying a marking to it. When the key 78 is depressed, the ejector pawl 72 comes, in the manner described hereinabove, out of engagement with the disc 3%, and the spring in the housing 81 can restore the components to their starting position and thereby eject the wrongly inserted sheet.

While I have herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings what may be considered a typical and particularly advantageous embodiment of my said invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular details and dimensions described and illustrated, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a typewriter having a carriage, a platen on the carriage, and a line-space lever operatively connected with said carriage, a front-feed attachment for the insertion of an account sheet in front of a journal. sheet fitted on the typewriter platen, comprising in combination: a structure mounted on the typewriter carriage, a drive shaft journalled in the said structure parallel to the typewriter platen, driving means mounted on the said shaft engaging in operation the account sheet, a spring operatively connected to the said structure and to the said shaft and wound up when turning the said shaft in the sense of inserting the account sheet and biasing the said driving means in the sense of ejecting the said account sheet, a ratchet wheel fixedly mounted on the said drive shaft, an adjustable drivingand indexing-disc journalled on the said structure and in operative connection with the said drive shaft, a control lever pivoted on the said structure, a spring resiliently connecting the said control lever to the said adjustable drivingand indexingdisc in the sense of yieldably transmitting a turning movement of the said control lever into a turning movement of the said disc, a punching device mounted on the said structure normally out of operative: engagement both with the typewriter and with the account sheet for punching a marking into the said account sheet, the punching movement being derived from the movement of the line-space lever when the latter is operated to eifect the return of the typewriter carriage, and a sensing device mounted in the said structure and operatively connected to the said driving means in the sense of adjusting the same to a position corresponding to the position of the account sheet in which the line to be typed upon of the account sheet is in the appropriate level position, the said sensing device including a rocker lever pivotally mounted on the said structure, a sensing hook arranged on the said rocker lever and adapted to reach into the path of the account sheet, and to sense the marking thereon if any and a lug on said rocker lever in operative co-operation with the said ratchet wheel,

' 7 the said sensing device being operatively connected to the said control lever and being made ineffective in a rest position of the said control lever.

2. A front-feed attachment as claimed in claim 1, comprising in addition: a pin mounted on the said drivingand indexing-disc, a spring loaded part pivotally mounted on the said structure adjacent the said control lever and operatively co-operating both with the said pin of the said drivingand indexing-disc and With the saidhook of the said sensing device, a spring connected to the said structure and to the said part and biasing the same into a position clearing the way for the said hook into the path of the account sheet, another spring attached to the said structure and operatively connected to the said hook and biasing the same towards the path of the account sheet, the said pin on the said drivingand indexing-disc forcing the said spring-loaded part into a rest position when the said disc is itself in a rest position.

3. A front-feed attachment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said hook is adapted to follow up the movement of the account sheet stepwise, carrying along the said lug of the said rocker lever into engagement with the said ratchet wheel thereby locking the latter in a position corresponding to the account sheet engaged by the said driving means coupled to the said ratchet wheel occupying the position in which the line thereof to be typed upon is in the appropriate level position owing to any marking on the said account sheet being sensed by the said hook, the movement of the said hook being limited by the said lug of the said rocker lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,670,068 Rutishauser et al. Feb. 23, 1954 

